Once Upon Another Time
by fridaythe13th
Summary: A retelling of The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies, set in another location and different character names. How the story may have unfolded upon another time. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the plot, characters or the lyrics of The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies. They belong to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and those associated with the musicals.

**Chapter 1**

The night was warm and the breeze was subtle yet refreshing. The streets were busy with people going about their business. Some laughed, while some yelled. Some cried while others played. Even though the sun had gone down, life in the city was still in full swing.

Mrs. Watson, a middle-aged woman who wore the years on her face, was walking down one such street when suddenly, something stopped her journey. She looked ahead to see four boys, no older than thirteen, were laughing and shouting at something, or someone, that was enveloped between the boys. They were even pointing and calling out names such as "freak", "monster" and "devil child".

Suddenly, the shadowy figure lashed out and the boys began to quickly backup. It was the first time Mrs. Watson saw Oscar. He was just like any other man only in tattered clothing and no shoes. However, half of his face was not human. She didn't know what it was but it seemed like he had acid poured onto him, deforming his facial features. She should be shocked. Yet, somehow, when the boys were laughing and taunting at the beggar, she had no time to fear. But what he did next, she was surprised. Oscar grabbed one of the boys by the wrist and snapped his jaws at him as if he wanted to eat him.

The boy struggled to get out of his grip. Eventually, Oscar gave up and let go. The boys immediately ran off. Oscar slumped back onto the ground and buried his head into his arms. Mrs. Watson can hear him softly sobbing. She suddenly felt sorry for him. Maybe it is her maternal instincts or her sympathy towards him, but Mrs. Watson decided to give him a place to sleep that night. She went over to him and took him in. Oscar was confused. And scared. But it is hard for him to tell the difference. No one. In the 22 years that he was alive, no one had offered a hand to him. He was scared at first, but wanting so much for food and a roof over his head, he silently went with her.

That night, she took him back to the opera house where she lived. She took him to the kitchen and gave him some food. But it didn't go so well. The cooks in the kitchen saw his face and screamed. Most of them scrambled to get away. That is not all. Everyone they met that night were scared to even be within fifty meters of him. The theatre manager, a short pudgy man who look suspiciously like a troll, whispered to Mrs Watson, "Mrs. Watson, you can't keep him here."

"He has nowhere to go."

"But he is scary. He is scaring the workers. If we keep him here, he will be bad for business."

"Look at him, he is harmless."

"Mrs. Watson, I don't believe I need to repeat myself. Get rid of him."

With that, the theatre manager left. Mrs. Watson looked at Oscar. Oscar looked around with curious yet suspicious eyes. She said to him, "Sorry kid. Looks like I will need to hide you in the undergrounds of the house."

She led him away, mumbling under her breath, "Bloody little troll."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the plot, characters or the lyrics of The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies. They belong to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and those associated with the musicals.

**Chapter 2**

A few nights later, the young and beautiful Christine was in the prayer room, lighting a candle. She was like a porcelain doll, fragile but pure and innocent. She looked at the statue of Christ, thinking about her father, who had gone to Heaven. For every day now since her father's passing, she came here to light a candle for him. She often prayed for him and talked to him, telling him her troubles. But on this particular night, as she was praying, a piano melody began to interrupt her thoughts. She opened her eyes, and listened. It was a beautiful and smoothing melody. She was instantly mesmerised by the music. Christine wondered where the music came from. She was curious because she cannot help but be drawn to the music.

She got up and looked around. Listening to the music, she walked across the house to a shed. She hesitated in opening the door to the shed but the music was louder than before. Curiosity got the better of her and she left her fear behind for a few minutes. She opened the door and realised that it was no shed. It was a staircase leading down to darkness. But the music was so intense that her body was moving towards the melody as if it had a will of its own. She carefully stepped down the first step and then her fate was sealed.

As she descended down the stairs, she could see a distant light. It wasn't sunlight but candlelight. As she descended, the light became brighter. She had never known, in the nine years that she lived here, that there was a large underground system of tunnels and caverns beneath the opera house. It was quite amazing. But what was more amazing was that she saw a person sitting at an old piano, surrounded by tens of candles that lit the cavern. There is a thin veil of curtains that separated her and the other person. It was man's figure but because his back was towards her, she could not see the face of the person. But she knew from his posture and actions that he was playing the piano, the source of the wonderful melody.

Suddenly, the music stopped abruptly. This startled Christine. The fear that she left on the top of the staircase returned. The man, slightly turned his head but without giving away any facial features, asked firmly, "Who's there?"

Christine was speechless. She hadn't expected that such soft and amazing music had also a strong and roaring voice behind it. The man asked again, "Who is there?!"

"I…" Christine began to stutter upon hearing the anger and rage in the man's voice.

"How did you find here?" The man asked, still not turning around.

Christine did not know what to say. "I hear your music. It is beautiful."

"No one comes down here!" The man scowled. He slammed the piano keys in anger.

"I'm…I'm sorry." Christine was really confused now. She had never seen anyone so anger before. She felt genuinely scared.

Suddenly, the man turned around and stared at Christine. She froze upon getting a better look at his face. She wanted to scream, but the sounds themselves were so scared that they didn't want to come out. He got up and slowly walked to her. She backed away slowly, her steps were heavy with fear. It was Oscar. Oscar grinned evilly, "Why are you here?! Have you come to laugh at me?! Have you come to stare at the beast?!"

He pointed to his deformed face. She shook her head frantically. "No…I…"

He pointed to the door and shouted, "Get out!"

She didn't hesitate this time and bolted out the cavern. After she is gone, Oscar sank to his knees and sobbed quietly.

The next night, Christine went back to the prayer room. Yes, it is awkward, even for her because she hadn't gotten last night's encounter out of her head. But now, instead of total horrification and fear, all that is left is just more curiosity. Who was he? What was he doing down there? What happened to him? Yes, she was still scared. But after some time away, she didn't think about it too much. So it was better. Suddenly, Christine heard that music again. It was the same melody as the night before. It was strange because Christine got up from the floor. She hesitated, deciding on her course of action, but music always seemed to have a way with her. She walked the same way as she did the night before in the cavern.

Once she faced the back of Oscar at the piano, he stopped playing. Only this time, there was no yelling. Her heart was still pounding. She felt nervous, a little scared, but also have an anticipation. Oscar spoke, but not in the fearsome voice of the night before, "Sing."

Christine looked at him. "What?"

"Sing." He said again.

"But I…"

"Just sing." Oscar starts to play the piano again. The music was like hypnosis to her. She was in trance when she heard it. It was as if she found home and it was paradise.

She opened her mouth and sang. And it was beautiful. Oscar did freeze for a second. He had never heard such a beautiful sound before; it was like an angel descended from heaven. After one song, Oscar said, "You have the most beautiful voice I have ever heard."

"Thank you," Christine said politely.

"But it needs training." Oscar played a few notes. "As wonderful as it is, your voice lacks the experience of an opera singer."

"I…I am not an opera singer."

"I know. You are just a chorus girl, right?"

"How did you know?"

"There are a lot of things that I know about." After a moment of pause, Oscar continued, "You can go now."

But Christine wasn't in a hurry. "Wait. You seem to know a lot about music."

Then she did something even she herself wasn't prepared for. "Can you train me?"

There was a sudden silence. She wasn't quite sure herself why she asked, but there was something about this stranger that she felt pulled to. Oscar calmly answered, "No."

"Please, sir. I know…"

"I do not train people. I do not even know why I let you down here. Now, please leave."

"I want to sing out there. I know I have no right to intrude into your privacy but I do want to sing. And I want to sing well."

After Oscar didn't answer her, she pleaded, "Please, if you would consider…"

"Promise me three things."

"Anything."

Oscar chuckled, "Don't be so hasty into agreeing. First of all, you are not to tell anyone of this. Second, you cannot ask me any questions about myself. Lastly, you must stay outside the curtain veil and cannot look upon my face at all."

After a moment of consideration, Christine nodded, "I can do that."

Oscar sighed, "Come tomorrow night. We start. Now, leave."

So it was then that Oscar began to train Christine in her singing. Night after night, she would come down to his cavern and would sing until she could sing no more. During the whole month where Oscar trained her, Christine's fear of Oscar as a person faded and it was replaced with a curiosity to understand him. But Oscar is a creature of the dark and the mysteries surrounding him will always remain.


End file.
